OMGWTF of the Day

[heidi]

Nuclear Bombs Mistakenly Flown Over US

A B-52 bomber was mistakenly armed with six nuclear warheads and flown for more than three hours across several states last week, prompting an Air Force investigation and the firing of one commander, Pentagon officials said Wednesday.

The plane was carrying Advanced Cruise Missiles from Minot Air Force Base, N.D, to Barksdale Air Force Base, La., on Aug. 30, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of a Defense Department policy not to confirm information on nuclear weapons.

The Air Combat Command has ordered a command-wide stand down on Sept. 14 to review procedures, officials said. They said there was minimal risk to crews and the public because of safety features designed into the munitions.

We are so bloody lucky this didn't happen back in 1986. Because there never would have been an investigation because it would have triggered WWIII and we would all be dead now!

Comments

[acciopotter.livejournal.com]

OMGWTF!!??!?!?!

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

IRL, I didn't think that OMGWTF was supposed to be immediately followed by KTHXBYEBYE but it seems the military just wasn't sure?

[casirafics.livejournal.com]

*headthunk*

Calling them the flyover states is one thing, but....

[machiavellian.livejournal.com]

I bet this kind of thing happens all the time and we just never find out about it. I hate to be a cynic where the government is concerned but well. I am.

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

I wish I could say that this shocked me, but honestly, with the administration? Anything is possible :|

[hedwig-snowy.livejournal.com]

Just feel lucky that they didn't 'accidentally' drop them on New Orleans and claim the it was Al Qaida... I can hear Addington now... "Look Mr President, we can solve all your problems at once. We'll send the bomber over New Orleans and...." Hey, what's a few million casualties when you fighting God's war???

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/9/4/104747/4938

[pengolodh-sc.livejournal.com]

How would it have triggered WW3? There were plenty of B-1B and B-52G and B-52H bombers with nuclear armed ALCMs around in the 80s, including ones on airborne alert.

[selinakyle47.livejournal.com]

How would an incident like this have triggered WWIII? Would the transport of nuclear weapons be dangerous enough to convince a foreign power to act pre-emptively?

Oh wait...

[poconell.livejournal.com]

O_O

Does Michael Moore know?

[simons-flower.livejournal.com]

Yeah, "Ooops!" doesn't cover that one.

[bibliophile20.livejournal.com]

If I hadn't been resting my chin on my hand when I saw the headline, it probably would have punched a hole in the floor...

[blackink.livejournal.com]

During the Cold War, there were US bombers armed with nucs in the sky over the US constantly, according to a high-ranking military guy I know.

[ness-va.livejournal.com]

omgwtf is right! That's a bit of a large oops!